Definition

1. Noun:
   • Trick; stratagem; clever scheme: A cunning or ingenious plan designed to achieve a specific goal, often through cleverness rather than direct means.
   • Rule; method; established procedure: A systematic way or set of guidelines for doing something correctly or effectively.

Usage Examples

• Noun (as trick/stratagem):

  • Hắn ta có nhiều mẹo mực để thuyết phục người khác. (He has many tricks to persuade others.)
  • Đó là một mẹo mực kinh doanh rất thông minh. (That is a very clever business stratagem.)

• Noun (as rule/method):

  • Ông ấy dạy cho tôi mẹo mực sửa chữa máy này. (He taught me the method for repairing this machine.)
  • Mỗi nghề đều có mẹo mực riêng. (Every trade has its own rules/methods.)

Advanced Usage

• The word often implies a sense of practical wisdom, cleverness, or insider knowledge, whether used for a cunning trick or a skillful method. It can carry a neutral or slightly positive connotation when referring to expertise, but may imply deceit when referring to a scheme.

Variants and Related Words

• Mưu mẹo (n): Cunning scheme, trickery. This compound emphasizes deceitful cleverness.
  • Đừng tin những mưu mẹo của hắn. (Don't believe his cunning schemes.)

Synonyms

• Trick: A cunning act or scheme intended to deceive or outwit.
• Stratagem: A plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent.
• Method: A particular procedure for accomplishing or approaching something.
• Technique: A way of carrying out a particular task.

Related Idioms

• Biết mẹo mực: To know the tricks of the trade; to be savvy about how something is done.
  • Làm nghề này lâu nên anh ấy biết hết mẹo mực. (Having worked in this trade for a long time, he knows all the tricks of the trade.)